Best value quaffers - under $20 - tips for a reduced budget

[tuxy85]

My wife and I recently had our first child. For the past few months she has been on paid maternity leave which will soon come to an end. I have come to the realisation that I am going to have to temporarily adjust my wine budget while we are on a single income. Typically we drink wine valued at between $20 and $30 with more expensive wines either to collect and/or for special occasions. The temporary adjustment to my budget will result in less collecting and cellaring and also some more thrifty purchases for my regular drinking wines.

At present I love the Hoddles Creek, Wickhams Road Pinot Noir and Chardonnay which come in at $18 per bottle. However, I don't have many Cabernets or Shiraz or other whites in this price range that regularly buy. I also don't mind the Deep Woods Estate Ebony Shiraz/Cabernet for $13 per bottle but would likely get bored with it quickly.

I am seeking advice on what your favourite good value quaffers are for under $20, specifically:

Shiraz and/or GSM
Cabernets or Bourdeaux Blends
Pinot Noir
Reisling
Semillon
Chardonnay
Any other good tips

[Ozzie W]

If you like Hoddles/Wickhams Pinot, check out DCB Pinot. They're made by Chris Bendle, the assistant winemaker at Hoddles Creek, so made in a similar style.

[phillisc]

Tuxy congats on the family and you are exactly where I was 20 years ago, and some respects still have not moved ( in terms of bargain wines) and of course there are many others here with youngsters and potentially reduced earnings??!! who knows.
Riesling is easy, there are 25 wines from clare/eden valley that I can think of straight away that are sub 20..Pewsey Vale, Jim Barry, Claymore, Barry brothers, St hallet, yalumba, peter lehman, Vickery, Pikes, Pauletts, Petaluma...the list goes on and on...all very good.
Wynns Shiraz and red stripe cab shiraz merlot, Zema estate, balnaves blend, Tuesner shiraz, Metala langhorne creek shiraz cab,
Don't drink much chardy or Pinot and of the semillons, Rockford at low $20s is a good one, the cheaper Elizabeth's from the Hunter are great.

I would also suggest that you contact wineries direct for cleanskins, many do it and you would not know...largely for cash flow. I am drinking Crabtree Watervale and Tim McNiel Rieslings from Clare at $10 and $8 a bottle respectively...you will have plenty of nights in with a youngster, who is going to know what you consume at home.

Good luck and let us know what finds you have over 2019. You can be assured that there are plenty on Auswine who will seek out your recommendations...and they don't have young kids

Cheers craig

[asajoseph]

tuxy,

Congratulations!

I know the feeling - similar thing happened to me when our first arrived (2 years ago). Now we have number 2 on the way, and I'm wondering how much more belt-tightening my wine budget can take. Still, isn't that what cellars are for?

Anyway, the first wine that comes to mind is the Glaetzer Wallace. If you like the Barossa GSM style, I think it is by far and away the best wine you can get for $20.

[Tucker Wine Studios]

Hi Tuxy,
I have bought and enjoyed wines from these two SA producers:
1) Mike Press Wines (https://www.mikepresswines.com.au/)
2) Longhop Wines (Domenic Torzi & Tim Freeland, http://www.oldplains.com/News.htm)

Cheers, Mario

[Sigmamupi]

Not normally a market that I have much interest or expertise in but coincidentally we found a wine fitting these criteria at a large group lunch during the week that everybody liked. One of the large retailers currently has a 2014 Taylors shiraz described as museum release at $16.99 (6 packs) which was ready to drink, with some typical Clare mint and gum leaf tones.

[Hacker]

Good thought!
I also like Bellevue Estate Shiraz from Mclaren Vale. This seems to win the Shiraz challenge at the Ed almost every year. Will set you back $20 pb.

[Rossco]

Thankfully im coming out at the end of having babies/kids, so I know what you are going through!

There are many good wines in this bracket. Some has already been mentioned


I would add:

Torzi Matthews - Schist Rock and other Torzi Matthews range
Seppelt Chalambar can be had around the traps for that price when on discount.
Same as their Jaluka Chardonnay, but I havent rated that for a couple of vintages.
A lot of Tahbilk's range is under that price. Marsanne, Shiraz, Cab, Riesling - They have a Members Club Shiraz for about $10 as well (havent had it in a while)
Majella Musician Cab/Shiraz
Wirra Wirra Church Block can be ok in certain vintages.
As mentioned Mike Press
Lots of Rielsing - Jim Barry range as well as mentioned
Havent had Langi 'Billy Billy' for a while, so not sure of the quality lately.
There is a lot of decent stuff around that mark

[cleanskinlover]

If you like Hoddles/Wickhams Pinot, check out DCB Pinot. They're made by Chris Bendle, the assistant winemaker at Hoddles Creek, so made in a similar style.

Agreed, Just bought a case of Hoddles Chard $20 also Wickham Geelong Pinot from Hoddles $18

[michel]

stoniers pinot and chard
yering station 'yering" pinot

arras elite sparkling

[Mahmoud Ali]

My advice for people on a budget is to keep an eye out for sales or deep discounts. The effectiveness of this strategy will vary from place to place but with due diligence it can be effective. Essentially, keep your powder dry and when you come across a good deal go deep and buy what you can. You don't need every wine but enough should come your way to provide you with variety.

Just recently I broke my budget because I came across wines so deeply discounted that I could not resist. A couple of years ago I passed on Fraser Gallop Cabernet-Merlot for $20 a bottle only to be rewarded by coming across it for $10 a bottle. This is only one of a half dozen deals that I could not resist.

Be patient and buy when an opportunity presents itself.

Cheers ................. Mahmoud.

[grapeobserver]

Like sub $20 French:
Guigal Cotes du Rhone
Deboeuf Beaujolais
Cremant de Bourgogne

[Polymer]

Congrats on the new addition!

Woods Crampton makes a few wines in that range that are good.
Peter Lehmann Portrait can be ok in some years
Schild Estate Shiraz has done well at that price point
Mike Press of course
Margan has some decent buys in that range
Kumeu River Village
Sticks has some wines in that range
Xanadu has quite a few wines below 20 that are pretty good.
Lots of Aussie Riesling.

and while not your original question....If your budget is 20 per wine and you drink 5 wines a week...(as an example), I'd also consider going down to 4 wines a week at 25 a bottle..or even 3 wines a week at 30-35 a bottle...The quality level increases significantly....Or do a mix of 20-35 dollar bottles and just cut down how much/often you drink slightly...This doesn't mean you don't need to drink as often, just less quantity each time you do....Eg. Stretch that bottle across 2 days vs 1 or 3 days vs. 2. You can use something like a Repour to keep it from going off.

[Duncan Disorderly]

I’m also fond of the Hoddles Creek Estate Pinot Noir and in my opinion another excellent value Yarra Pinot Noir is the De Bortoli Dixon’s Creek Estate. The 2017 is $20 a bottle and maybe even shades the Hoddles Creek. I’ve cellared previous vintages and always had good results.

There’s some good value from Italy. The Maretti Langhe Rosso a blend of Nebbiolo and Barbera, is very good value for under $20 and the Carpineto Chianti Castaldo is also pretty reasonable. There’s a host of others.

[dave vino]

Why not drink some of the wines you already have?

[tuxy85]

Congrats on the new addition!

Woods Crampton makes a few wines in that range that are good.
Peter Lehmann Portrait can be ok in some years
Schild Estate Shiraz has done well at that price point
Mike Press of course
Margan has some decent buys in that range
Kumeu River Village
Sticks has some wines in that range
Xanadu has quite a few wines below 20 that are pretty good.
Lots of Aussie Riesling.

and while not your original question....If your budget is 20 per wine and you drink 5 wines a week...(as an example), I'd also consider going down to 4 wines a week at 25 a bottle..or even 3 wines a week at 30-35 a bottle...The quality level increases significantly....Or do a mix of 20-35 dollar bottles and just cut down how much/often you drink slightly...This doesn't mean you don't need to drink as often, just less quantity each time you do....Eg. Stretch that bottle across 2 days vs 1 or 3 days vs. 2. You can use something like a Repour to keep it from going off.

Thanks for the tips. I have figured this into my budget. We try to have a least 3 or 4 alcohol free nights per week in our house. The sub-$20 bottles I am looking for will be for Wednesday and Friday nights I'll will still bring out something a bit nicer on Saturday night. Generally we don't drink Sunday - Tuesday and normally try to abstain on Thursday as well. The abstinence is generally linked to whether I made it to the gym or not.

[Hacker]

We try to have a least 3 or 4 alcohol free nights per week in our house. Generally we don't drink Sunday - Tuesday and normally try to abstain on Thursday as well.

Sacre Bleu! Unheard of in my house!

[GraemeG]

It's more in the $20-25 range, but try the Synergy and Two-of-a-Kind shirazes from Andrew Thomas in the Hunter.
Good stuff for the money.
Graeme

[michel]

Heads up
2017 de Bortoli
The Estate
Yarra Vallely Pinot is a cracker
Just over your budget but too good to miss imo
21 bucks